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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27344686">All Eyes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucca/pseuds/lucca'>lucca</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canonical Character Death, F/F, F/M, Luke Patterson Loves Julie Molina, Minor Julie Molina/Carrie Wilson, POV Outsider</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:55:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,274</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27344686</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucca/pseuds/lucca</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Three different people watch Julie and Luke at three different performances. They all learn the same thing.</p>
<p>And maybe something about themselves too.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Julie Molina/Luke Patterson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>239</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Another Winner - Carrie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I sat down to write something else entirely!  But this happened instead. Oops!  Only, not oops, because this show is fantastic, and about the best thing to happen in 2020. </p>
<p>I'm a sucker for outside POV fic, so this will be three quick takes (mostly) on Julie and Luke from Carrie, Ray, and Flynn as they watch Edge of Great, Finally Free, and Bright (respectively).</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
It’s not about Nick at all, is the thing.  It never was. </p>
<p>She’s tired of saying it, really, and that probably doesn’t help.  The repetition doesn’t do her any favors in the sincerity department. But honestly, hasn’t the world come far enough that two talented girls can be at odds without it involving a man? </p>
<p>
  <em>(They are so, so tired all the time, and have been all year. Julie, at the hospital every day, and Carrie, her own mom disappearing without a word for longer and longer stretches; it was easier to rehearse for camp auditions nonstop than be alone at home, where depression was worse than exhaustion. But that day Kayla steps left instead of right and all four of them crash to the floor tangled with the lamp- )</em>
</p>
<p>Her entire life is built around doing things for herself. She hires her own choreographers. Hustles for a manager, or just the next gig. And sure, her father’s name and history (but mostly his Amex) open some doors, but what else is she supposed to do- not try with everything she has to get what she wants? </p>
<p>No way.  That’s not Carrie Wilson. </p>
<p><em>Some may say I sound conceited</em> and all that.  Let people think what they want. She’s proud of her work. </p>
<p>But the point is, when she jumps out of the car at Julie’s house- fashionably late, natch- she knows it <em>looks</em> like a jealous rage over Nick’s recent interest, but it’s not. It’s never been about that. </p>
<p>This about Julie. </p>
<p>Julie is <em>talented</em>.  Carrie’s not blind. They were friends, once, and she’s seen Julie and her so-called holograms (they clearly aren’t holograms. She has an 8k TV in her living room and it’s not that sharp) perform enough times now to know she’s even better with them. It’s frustrating, honestly, how easily people are willing to bend over backward for that. A whole year of <em>Julie’s having a rough time, but she was so good last year, she doesn’t need to perform for the next assignment</em>.  </p>
<p>This is exactly why Carrie is so quick to remind everyone how easily Julie breaks down. She tried to warn Nick, but boys are stupid and if he’s determined to get himself into a world of trouble despite knowing better, it isn’t Carrie’s problem. Even if it’s <em>not about him</em>, it does give her a little personal satisfaction to know he’ll crash and burn. </p>
<p><em>Julie is no friend</em>.  Carrie’s been pushed aside. She’ll survive. </p>
<p>But this newest addition, the one that’s basically the human version of a heart-eye emoji, he is something <em>else</em>.  </p>
<p>She can see it the moment Julie’s garage inexplicably becomes a state of the art 3D projection screen. What was all smiles and borderline-inappropriate eye contact just the night before has already become a kicked-puppy face and desperation; Julie won’t give him the time of day. </p>
<p>His confusion strikes an unexpected blow of solidarity to her chest.  She remembers what it feels like to have someone you thought understood you turn on you without hesitation. </p>
<p>
  <em>(There is a mess of tears and blame. Rushing for towels and a broom. Shards of broken light bulbs, drops of blood on the floor; it stands out horrifyingly on the Calacatta marble her mom had insisted on when they moved in. She remembers with startling clarity how Julie shouts “Your mom doesn’t care!” and it leaves Carrie breathless like a punch, but somehow she has air enough to snap “At least my mom isn’t dying.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Then it’s just flashbulb memories, like a filmstrip of her own life. Flynn runs after Julie. The door slams shut. Kayla sobs apologies for causing the accident on the floor with her head in her hands. Carrie drops down next to her.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She doesn’t cry until much, much later.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>None of them end up going to music camp that year. )</em>
</p>
<p>He clearly expects her attention- <em>she sees you, idiot, stop trying so hard</em>- but definitely doesn’t get it.  There’s a point after another transparent attempt to wave her over where Carrie’s honestly close to secondhand embarrassment on his behalf. Julie only tosses a look at him and determinedly turns away.  Heart-Eyes exchanges a confused look with the bass player instead, and Carrie wonders if Julie even noticed, or would care if she did.</p>
<p>Instead, she leaves the rest of the band where they are and moves around the piano to take Flynn’s hand. </p>
<p>That’s wrenchingly familiar too. </p>
<p>
  <em>(A week later Flynn has matching t-shirts just for her and Julie, and neither of them speak to anyone else about it. It’s such a stupid fight but she’s on Kayla’s side and that’s where she’s going to stay. Somehow it goes on for days and then months; suddenly it’s years later and Julie’s mom is dead and Carrie’s has long since stopped coming home at all but their lives were already different forever way before that.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The Wilsons never replace the lamp.) </em>
</p>
<p>It’s <em>that</em> look, <em>that</em> moment all over again. <em>So this is the end of “Julie and the Phantoms”</em>  is Carrie’s first reaction, although she can’t quite determine how she feels about that.  They’re good; it’s actually a shame. </p>
<p>Maybe Flynn will make her another t-shirt. </p>
<p>The bass and drums fade off; even the crowd is quieting for Julie’s solo.  But that’s typical of her: putting all the attention on herself while pretending she doesn’t. Whatever went down, she isn’t one to-</p>
<p><em>Oh</em>.  </p>
<p>This is different.  The human puppy steps forward, forcing his way into Julie’s attention. And then Julie- Julie <em>smiles</em>. </p>
<p>
  <em>How did that happen? </em>
</p>
<p>That <em>ought</em> to be the question. For all the fellowship she would have claimed a moment ago- among this small company of people that Julie Molina has walked away from- she’s awash with confusion now. Or, at least, it should feel that way, right?  It should feel like <em>why are you lucky and not me</em>. </p>
<p>But there is no question, not when the answer is laid out so devastatingly clear in front of her. </p>
<p>Carrie’s served a lot of fierce looks in her life, but she’s never seen someone put so much fight into such a soft expression. This is not wearing a heart on a sleeve (as though he has any), this is a heart cut open across the stage, for all and sundry to witness.   </p>
<p>It’s more of the same for the outro, but it barely registers.  She’s aware of Nick, quiet and tense beside her, somehow confused by this new competition, but there’s nothing else Carrie can really add. </p>
<p>It’s not about Nick. It never was. </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Only a Matter of Time - Ray</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ray watches "Finally Free" after Julie sneaks out.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There is a serious lack of Ray Molina-based fanfic in the world, so while I didn't set out to help fix that, it still happened! :-)  This ending up being about twice as long as I'd outlined, because diving into his life is fun and Ray is the best TV dad since Keith Mars. </p><p>Enjoy "Finally Free", but really the back half of Episode 5 in Ray!POV.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Julie was a baby, and he and Rose had no idea at all what they were doing as parents, they started a game to put themselves at ease about her every move.  </p><p>Julie gulped down a bottle too quickly, and gave herself hiccups that never seemed to end. “It’s because she’s <em> your </em> daughter, Ray.” Rose scolded him with a grin, “Always hungry. <em> ”  </em></p><p>Julie screamed bloody murder at two in the morning until not just one, but <em> both </em> parents came in to check on her. “That’s because she’s <em> your </em>daughter, Rose.” He mumbled sleepily into his wife’s shoulder, “Has to have an audience.” </p><p>They eventually muddled through, but the habit stuck, as much an expression of love as it was exasperation.</p><p>Julie came home inexplicably covered head-to-toe in mud: <em>That’s</em> <em>your daughter, Ray. </em></p><p>Julie emerged from her bedroom with marker doodles down each sleeve of her new school shirt: <em> That’s your daughter, Rose.  </em></p><p>Julie excitedly brought home the new girl at school, declaring at an unnecessarily high volume that they had <em> everything </em> in common: <em> Your daughter, Ray </em></p><p>Julie ran through the door, hands trembling but voice solid as a rock, holding her acceptance letter into the Los Felix music program: <em> Your daughter, Rose.  </em></p><p>Everytime Julie smiled in <em> just </em> that way: <em> Your daughter, Rose. </em> </p><p>Julie sang for the first time in a year: <em> Your daughter, Rose.  </em></p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>There had been a moment, one of the quiet nights where there was no sleep because they knew the days were numbered, that he’d wondered how on earth he would get the rest of Julie’s teen years right.  Rose had only told him he needed to see himself more clearly. <em>  I’ll do my best to show you the signs, </em> she’d said with a watery smile, <em> but you need to see all the ways she’s yours, too.  And one day you’ll look at her and you won’t see either of us, she’ll be who she was meant to be all along. That’s how you’ll get through this. That’s how you’ll know you got it right.  </em></p><p><em> Through </em>, she’d said.  As though there would ever be an end to the years without her. </p><p>(Other advice included<em> as many ear piercings as she wants without question, but she has to be able to explain a tattoo, </em> and <em> don’t worry about the first crush but keep an eye out for the second, there’s always going to be a curveball.)  </em></p><p>So it was a habit of his still, now a reminder that he hasn’t lost his wife entirely.</p><p>It was so much easier to see Rose than himself, though. Especially now that Julie had started singing again. But he tried, on the appropriate occasions, to recall the exact tone she would have used to give him a well deserved <em> your daughter, Ray. </em></p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Good afternoon, Mr. Molina.” The pleasant voice of the school secretary informed him just after lunch, “We didn’t receive a note from you and wanted to confirm. Julie accrued three absences and a tardy this morning.” </p><p>“She did?”  He kicked himself as soon as he said it- it wouldn’t be the first time Julie had a bad night and didn’t make it to school, but it would be new that she didn’t talk to him about it. “Of course she did. Yes. My fault. Family issue.” </p><p><em> Your daughter, Rose. </em> This one he sighed aloud into the empty room. He’s lying, even to himself. The being late, at the very least, is all him. In his head, he knew the exact shake of Rose’s head; the way it would jostle the curl of hair next to her eyes. The small twist of her lip as she disagreed: <em> Your-</em></p><p> </p><p> <em> -Known to hit the snooze button a few times yourself, Ray. </em></p><p> </p><p>The words that answer him don’t have Rose’s voice.  They don’t seem to have any voice at all. And yet, he hears the response as clearly as though it had come from right behind him?</p><p>The speed at which he dropped his cup of coffee and spun to face an empty room would be embarrassing, had anyone been there to see it. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Once in a while, Julie did something that he recognized <em> all </em>too well.  </p><p>“But, <em> Dad </em>, tonight-” </p><p>Rose, in so many ways that still make his heart ache to think of, was a constant fighter. Some of those ways were better than others, but her inability to let a single point go without arguing her case and moving on to the next was, well, not a <em> subtle </em>thing. </p><p>Julie could have a temper that was all Rose; a harsh, wiry net of blistering heat that burned out with equal speed as it came in.  Ray could handle this.  A man does not have a wife and teenage daughter without learning how to duck and cover.</p><p>(Not to brag, but he can toss a carton of chocolate ice cream directly onto the living room couch from the kitchen without looking. It’s one of several reasons he <em> did not want </em> to move.)  </p><p>But when she didn’t try to push back on whatever <em> tonight </em> was supposed to be, he knew what he was facing was much, much worse than a quick temper. </p><p>Julie walked up the stairs without another word, and even though he’s sure that there will be a very long, trying conversation with Victoria tomorrow about the improvement needed in calculus grades and his parenting skills, he can’t help but smile.  For the first time in a <em> very </em>long while, he actually knew what was going to happen next. From the look of it, so did Victoria. </p><p>“You need me to look after Carlos, don’t you?” <br/>
“Just a couple of hours.”    </p><p>A silently determined Julie.  They both knew what that meant.  </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Your daughter, Ray.  </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>So here he is, sitting in his car watching a grainy video, a little overcome by how much of <em> Julie </em>he hadn’t realized he’d been missing. </p><p>Los Angeles isn’t a small town, by any means, but there aren’t <em> that </em> many venues that an underage girl can walk into without a glance on a Tuesday night.  He <em> could </em>make a few calls, but more than that, Ray knows his daughter, so it only takes a quick check for updates on Julie’s band’s new Instagram account for a lead on where she’s snuck off.</p><p>There’s a post from that afternoon, a rehearsal clearly filmed in the garage, captioned <em> Ready for Eat &amp; Beats! </em> Ray makes a mental note to get her something better while also offering a silent apology to his parents for having to deal with his antics in a pre-internet age. </p><p>(Rose was four years older, already bartending at a club he wasn’t supposed to even be able to get <em> into </em> when he started sneaking out to meet her.  He’d assumed Julie was playing somewhere with the band, but <em> oh God what if she’s meeting a boy what does he DO-) </em></p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>A lanky doorman presses a flier listing tonight’s bands into his hand as he walks in, and even though he wasn’t at all interested in the general show, Ray can’t help but tuck it into his coat pocket.  If he wasn’t actually here to catch her in the act of sneaking out, he’d be upset he didn’t bring a decent camera. </p><p>It’s a fair lineup for a local place’s weeknight show.  Ray is not surprised Carrie Wilson is also making an appearance, and equally unsurprised that Trevor is nowhere to be seen. He’s spent years sending the man video of missed shows, until the two girls stopped performing together. </p><p>He’d always assumed that was the price of life as a major star, but maybe there’s something he understands a little better now about showing support versus building independence.</p><p>(Trevor and Rose had wanted the girls to be friends <em> so badly </em> , ever since they were born, but Ray had often felt a sense of desperation from him that seemed at odds with the real-world importance of two toddlers playing in sand. Rose had only ever explained <em> is it so crazy for a parent to want better for their kid than they had? </em>)  </p><p>Flynn and Julie are huddled near the stairs leading to the stage, but the emcee never calls her name, and there is only a short conversation with Carrie after she’s done.  The venue is about to switch to bar hours, so maybe Julie only came to- </p><p> </p><p>“Julie and Fat Ones.” </p><p> </p><p>There’s about a minute and a half of silence as Julie glares somewhere behind her and then strolls up the stairs to set up, and the combination of being the final act and trying to explain the naming error seems to draw the energy from the room.  </p><p>Still, Julie doesn’t seem put off, and Ray can only hope against hope that a lackluster response won’t send her running.  She’s been so excited the past couple of weeks, every spare minute spent singing, or writing, or rehearsing with the band, he couldn’t stand it if- </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I wanna fly, come alive, watch me shine!”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Ray doesn’t pretend that he’s on the cutting edge of technology, but he knows his field, knows resolution, and lighting, and knows that a fully digital band doesn’t just drop into a run-of-the-mill bar stage with anything the size of the backpack Julie brought.</p><p>But he doesn’t need to know.  Not when it’s helping Julie reach...<em> this. </em>    </p><p>He’s watched Julie perform at least a dozen times per year since she was in middle school: music program repertory, school talent shows, anywhere.  But this isn’t just ‘Julie is singing again, she’s back’.  He’s watching his daughter become someone new, someone <em> brighter.   </em></p><p>It’s beautiful and painful at the same time, everything he hoped for her that he wasn’t ready (<em> would never have been ready </em>) to share with the rest of the world.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> This is our daughter, Rose. This is who she is meant to be.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Julie is into the second verse by the time Ray has the presence of mind to pull out his phone to start recording.  From the look of it, Flynn has been doing the same, but this is something he wants for himself. </p><p> </p><p>“<em> We know we can make it, we’re not falling down under... </em>”</p><p> </p><p>One of the guitarists jumps down from the riser to join Julie’s verse, and his hand tracks the movement by instinct. </p><p>It would be impossible, in any other situation, for his attention to leave Julie, but the expression on the boy’s face draws his eye.  Maybe it’s the emotions of the evening getting to him, or maybe it’s the nostalgia, but there’s something uncannily familiar there and Ray can’t ignore it.  </p><p>For all the times he’s struggled to see himself rather than Rose in Julie, this is crystal clear. He <em> knows </em> that look. His life <em> changed forever </em> with that look. He remembers, with startling clarity, the first time he ever saw Rose perform and he had <em> that look.  </em></p><p>He is watching someone fall in love with his daughter. </p><p>Not just some piece of her, the way he first fell for Rose’s smile or how Julie used to wax poetic to Flynn about Nick’s hair, but this whole and brilliant version that she’s authored herself and put on display tonight. </p><p>The two of them draw closer on stage, but there’s no count to it.  From the way the other members of the band grin at each other, Ray’s pretty sure this either happens all the time or has been a long time in coming. </p><p> </p><p>“<em> And you’re a part of me.” </em></p><p> </p><p>The anger- at Julie, for running out, at this <em> kid </em> , for having the audacity to fall in love <em> right in front of him!- </em> shifts and settles heavily on his shoulders, just weight without color. </p><p>This boy has no idea what he’s doing. Ray has seen a lot of performers try to sweet talk from the stage (has been the target of it, on more than one occasion), but this isn’t that. He can’t be truly angry at anyone falling in love with Julie, but especially not when it screams <em> helplessness </em>like this does. </p><p>He still <em> wants </em> to be upset.  He can imagine how that would go, even: <em> Julie, how dare you sneak out to meet this boy instead of studying! </em> But the truth is, it feels voyeuristic, like <em> he’s </em>the one who shouldn’t be here, not Julie. Ray whips his head side to side, but the crowd is on their feet, sold on the music and clearly not noticing this life-altering discovery. </p><p>He’s the only one, of course, that knows Julie well enough to know this is a moment of metamorphosis, and knows himself such that he could never miss what it looks like to have the love of your life revealed for the first time. </p><p>Still, it’s a gap he knows he can’t fix, not for any of them, that Julie didn’t invite him tonight. He’ll be here when she’s ready to share this with more than just strangers in a bistro and the band that brought her back from the brink, but in the meantime- </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> (Your daughter, Rose.)  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Julie!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Dad!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It’s time to go.” </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I definitely should be working on other things, but this is such a fantastic and fun universe I couldn't help myself. I'm trying to work out if I have it in me to do a season two spec fic, but that is 99% because I want to find a way to have Luke and a Caleb-possessed Nick have a guitar duel to Steve Ouimette's arrangement of Devil Went Down to Georgia (which is also the version in Guitar Hero! You can find it on youtube).  How to do that in writing without sound? No idea. Work in progress! :-)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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